You shout that you are independent and that you do not need a man. You say it with pride because the world feels stable and safe around you. But here is the truth. Your comfort was not built by words. It was built by calloused hands you never see.
Independence is a luxury that exists because men built the world beneath your feet.
Men laid the concrete you walk on.
Men raised the buildings that protect you from the cold.
Men wired the electricity that lights up your home.
Men dug the trenches that deliver your water and carry away your waste.
Men defend the borders that keep your freedom possible.
You can only ignore men because men have never stopped doing the work.
This is the real structure of civilization:
• 99% of loggers are men• 98% of carpenters are men• 97% of roofers are men• 97% of fishermen are men• 97% of demolition and explosives technicians are men• 97% of all mechanics are men• 96% of iron and steel workers are men• 96% of construction workers are men• 96% of welders are men• 96% of firefighters are men• 95% of electricians are men• 95% of plumbers are men• 95% of oil rig workers are men• 95% of linemen are men• 94% of HVAC professionals are men• 94% of train operators are men• 94% of deep sea divers are men• 93% of sanitation workers are men• 93% of paramedics and EMTs are men• 92% of dock workers are men• 92% of forklift operators are men• 92% of corrections officers are men• 91% of truck drivers are men• 91% of mechanical engineers are men• 90% of machine operators are men• 90% of pilots are men• 90% of miners are men• 95% of front line combat soldiers are men
These are the jobs that keep humanity alive.These are the men who stop the world from falling apart.
You can say you are independent. You are independent because men deliver your food before hunger ever reaches you. You are independent because men repair the power lines before your home goes dark. You are independent because when the world catches fire men run forward instead of running away. That is the foundation you stand on.
And when danger comes the truth appears fast.You do not need a man until the floodwaters rise.You do not need a man until the earthquake rips the walls apart.You do not need a man until the hurricane tears the city to pieces.You do not need a man until the tornado turns your street into ruins.You do not need a man until the fire devours everything you thought you controlled.
Then the voice changes.Then you call for the same men you said you did not need.
When the boat is sinking independence disappears.The first to demand rescueThe first to be savedThe first to be protectedAre the ones who said they do not rely on anyone
Because survival does not listen to slogans.It listens to strength.It listens to courage.It listens to those who step into danger while others step away.
So yes call yourself independent. Enjoy the safety men provide. Enjoy the food men transport. Enjoy the heat men generate. Enjoy the comfort men maintain. That is your right and men do not complain about their duty.
But never forget this truth.Independence that only exists in safety is not independence.It is stability borrowed from the men who never stop holding the line.
